MHS Newsletter 0426

2026 SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS DUE MAY 1ST

Applications for our annual Dr. Winston Lewis Memorial Scholarship and the Joe and Irene Scott Memorial Scholarship are due May 1st. All graduating Montgomery seniors going on to future education or training are eligible. This includes technical training, e.g. CDL, as well as college. Applications and related information were mailed to Montgomery seniors and their guidance counselors in March and are also available from our web site at the link above.

This year there are 15 Montgomery seniors eligible. Each of the scholarships is for one year and now normally $1,000. Since 1989 the Society has awarded nearly $27,000 in these grants to 59 graduates.

2025 TOWN REPORT INPUT

For this year's report we shared an article about a shoe box of papers and postcards that belonged to J.C. Hutchins who owned the tub mill south of the Center and a store. The stash was found in the closet of a home he once owned. The materials range from1890 to 1910, the heyday of Montgomery butter tub mills.

HOME FOR HISTORY UPDATE

Thanks to all of you who made a special donation in response to our February Capital Campaign mailing. Your nearly $10,000 was matched. There is still $30,000 available for additional matches effectively doubling your contributions.

Fundraisers include a "Christmas in July" booth at the Farmers market, and a Calcutta (dinner and lottery) on Oct 3rd. Calcutta tickets will be on sale at our Farmers Market booth and be available from any MHS Board member. You can call Sue Wilson for additional information at 802-326-4189.

In the meantime we've applied to Senators Welch and Sanders for federal grant money from the the USDA Rural Development Community Facilities program. Previously known as "earmarks" these Congressionally Directed Spending Requests (CDSR) will be available in October if approved. It's a long shot but worth trying.

We've salvaged some of the lumber from the Deuso Rd building and are eager to get the demolition going. St. Onge Construction will be doing the work and is generously donating time and services. Unfortunately some asbestos floor tiles were found during a pre-demolition inspection so we are on hold. Eventually the building will come down and the cellar hole will be filled and left safe.

We have the required State Fire Safety review and permit. Construction will need to start in the next 12 months.

We've had initial discussions with a local builder and have been penciled into his schedule starting construction this fall and continuing through the Winter.

THIS QUARTER IN MONTGOMERY HISTORY

April 1984: Parker Store (Village) burns down. Now site of the MHS Farmers Market.

May 1887: Grand Army of the Republic Post 95 formed.

June 1894: Lottie Baker kills her four children. Reported in national news.

HISTORY QUIZ ANSWERS

1. a. None of the original 34 ever came to Montgomery.

2. d. Grantees had just over 3 years to establish residency.

3. c. Each received about 380 acres.

RESEARCH KUDOS

Member Don Crocker contacted us with some questions and answers about Montgomery's earliest land grantees and settlers. He was able to determine Hannah Clark (of brook name) was a daughter of Gov. Thomas Chittenden. She lived and died in Castleton, VT. Both were original grantees but never came to Montgomery and ceded their rights back to the State of Vermont, along with the other 32 original grantees.

Montgomery lots, and others in Vermont, were then re-granted, or sold, to raise money to pay New York for settling disputed territory claims.

Don also determined that Montgomery's first settler, Joshua Clapp, was seriously wounded at the Battle of Saratoga. Clapp originally acquired the lots of John Fasset at a public auction in 1791, and came to Montgomery in the Spring of 1793. He subsequently acquired the lots of Hannah Clark in 1803 bringing his holdings to over 670 acres.

Montgomery Lotting Map Showing Joshua Clapp's Lots

BRICKS

We're taking orders for more engraved paver bricks and hope to do another installation soon. They're a great way to honor a loved one or express yourself in other ways, like a haiku, or a good pun. Order on line.